Women, wheels, and a weekend in Whistler

Emotional roller-coaster imparts new confidence

On top of the world at Whistler Mountain.

Photograph by: Justa Jeskova

The rock face dipped away in front of my bike tire. I was braking too hard and the metal frame began to wobble below me. I had a decision to make. I could either release my claw-like grip on the levers or fall to the side hoping not to slide down the unforgiving granite on my face.

Adrenaline pumped, I was breathing too fast, and sweat dripped down my back. I had to let go of the brake.

The Trek Dirt Series is a travelling mountain bike camp designed primarily for women. Originating in Whistler, the camp has expanded across B.C. to Alberta and then onto Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah and Colorado.

In the past 12 years they’ve put more than 8,500 riders through their paces in both downhill and cross-country biking. A petite blond lady introduced herself on the first day of the camp to 66 women sitting patiently in the sunshine. Candace Shadley had been working for Cycling BC when she launched the Dirt Series program in 2001 as part of an initiative to grow the sport.

As the mountain bike technical director, she was aware that the percentage of women in the sport was very small and in need of some attention.

Shadley had the inside edge when devising the camps, what would she have wanted when she was first starting out? Whereas men tend to excel in a competitive environment, it’s relationships and supportive settings that motivate women.

With this in mind she went for the low-hanging fruit — the ladies looking to improve their riding skills who didn’t have an outlet. She enhanced the experience by picking world-class biking destinations and by 2004 the rapid growth and spreading geographical demand was enough to warrant Shadley taking the program on full-time.

I signed up for the second Whistler camp of the season and on Day 1 international accents filled the air as participants picked up the latest demo equipment. A woman in her 30s had flown over from Germany and was contemplating how she’d get one of the new Trek Lush cross-country bikes back on the plane. Demo reservations were about as competitive as the program spots themselves as the camps are already sold out until August this year. Their pre-season numbers are up by nearly 70 per cent over previous years, a testament to both the growth of the sport and also the popularity of the program itself, with a third of their business coming from past participant referral.

It was with a mix of excitement and trepidation that I wheeled my own cross-country bike out for the first part of the program — skills training. On the lush grass of Rebagliati Park we split into groups of eight and spent the morning rolling over boxes, balancing on teeter-totters and skinny bridges, and developing our braking strategies. One of our coaches, Anita Naidu, had just got back from Syria where she works as a project engineer. A multi-sport athlete and competitor, we were in good hands as we navigated the series of skill tests with the odd prompt and word of encouragement. The participants ranged from complete beginners all the way up to advanced riders. There’s definitely a place for everyone, but it’s worth taking time over the pre-camp questionnaires, which cover experience and what you want to achieve.

In the afternoon it was time to put our new-found skills to the test. Our group headed out to “Cut Yer Bars,” an intermediate cross-country trail that’s a favourite with local riders. We navigated roots and rocks on the uphill, stopping to “session” areas that were more technically challenging. As we looked out over a steep rock roll I had to think about what I wanted to get from the camp as that all-too-familiar “What am I doing here?” panic crept into my mind. I wanted to advance my technical ability and push a few boundaries, but could I keep my fear in check? Our afternoon coach, Karen Mann, who holds a degree in Psychology, summed it up perfectly, “You have to think about your goal, and if achieving it out-weighs the possible risks. One day out of five you feel amazing; you will push yourself and everything seems to click, three of those days aren’t going to be that memorable, fun, but nothing special, and one of those days will be a struggle. Know how you feel and make your decision based on that. Are you in the right mood and is it worth it?” As I stared down the steep slope I decided to leave this one alone — there’s always tomorrow, especially on a two-day camp.

That evening we reconvened at the Garbanzo Bike and Bean for pizza, beer and advice on maintaining our bikes. Within a group of inquisitive and supportive women we were able to ask all those questions that started, “This might be stupid but …” That night I couldn’t keep my eyes open past 9 p.m., the sign of a day well spent.

On the morning of Day 2 the sun was out in as much force as the ladies. I had decided to head into the bike park and got kitted out with a full-face helmet, elbow and knee pads, as well as a mean-looking double-suspension bike.

As I wheeled my bike over to the chair lift, I may have looked the part, but I wasn’t feeling it.

Mann’s words echoed inside my head from the day before as we approached a steep rock roll with a sharp right turn at the bottom. Was this worth the potential risk? I thought back to the skills I’d developed. I had the braking, I had the balance; I just needed the confidence. With one coach at the apex of the rock, and another at the bottom I was well covered. However, it was another participant’s words that made me turn those pedals. “You can do this. I’ve seen what you’ve achieved so far and you’ve got this.” How could I let her down?

As the bike wobbled beneath me I slowly released the brakes.

I pushed my front wheel forward over the rock, extending my arms until I felt the ground come up to meet me, my body coming forward to absorb the contact. I shifted my eye contact to look around the next bend — I’d made it.

“Most women who come on the camp find a new sense of confidence,” says Shadley.

“That spills over into their everyday life with the knowledge that they can learn something new, a sureness that they can conquer their fears, and the excitement at having done something that they didn’t think possible.”

The Dirt Trek Series was an emotional roller-coaster for most of the women I talked to. At times they felt completely out of their comfort zones, struggling to keep control and at others they were on top of the world, elated at having mastered a new skill or conquered an old demon. We all shared the ups and downs, pushing each other through patches of doubt and celebrating the results. This is a bike camp that taps into the female psyche — a more gentle approach to a sport needlessly dominated by the guys.

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